A Play in Eight Parts
by Fraser Grace
A provocative new drama about Mikhail Kalashnikov: inventor of the world-famous AK47 assault rifle and a decorated Soviet hero. In the dark woods of a fairy tale Russian landscape, a young journalist seeks out the legendary Kalashnikov in his remote dacha. At first the stranger is welcomed by the General and his protective daughter but as night falls and the vodka flows, truths are revealed and events are triggered that no one can control…
2011 World Premiere produced in association with BT Studio, Oxford Playhouse and supported by The Mercury Theatre, Colchester (Theatre 503, London & South East tour) . Arts Council Funded.
Published by Oberon Books.
Cast – Andrew Neil as Kalashnikov with Owen Oakeshott and Maggie O’Brien. Anastasia Drew on film as Elena.
Director – Helena Bell
Film – Grant Watson
Set/Costume – Christopher Faulds
Light – David Rafique
Company Stage Manager – Nicola Maddox
Assistant Stage Manager – Poppy Sakulku
PR – Sheridan Humphreys
First Developed and Showcased at The Burton Taylor Studio, Oxford Playhouse in 2010
2011 Autumn Tour
Burton Taylor Studio, Oxford Playhouse
Yvonne Arnaud Studio, Guildford
Theatre 503, London (three week run)
Robinson Theatre, Cambridge
Nightingale Theatre, Brighton
Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury
Mercury Theatre, Colchester
Reviews
“Fraser Grace has crafted a highly entertaining play full of amusing one-liners…not answering but asking questions… Andrew Neil engages intimately with the audience and sets up a beautifully avuncular Kalashnikov, an old man surrounded by his tools, inventions and memories…Maggie O’Brien vividly captures his daughter and Owen Oakeshot as Volkov moves effortlessly between clumsy journalist and forthright antagonist… Film contributes a great deal to the play with three screens providing elements such as the exterior tree-scape, newsreel footage, silhouettes of the action going on in the house and the interviews plus the part of Kalashnikov’s granddaughter Elena which is spoken entirely to camera…” Graham Gurrin – The Stage
“Thoughtful, vibrant new play – informative, intriguingly-structured and gripping……never predictable…Fraser Grace’s brilliant new play reveals what lies behind the images of Kalashnikov… Helena Bell’s finely-performed production perfectly balances performance and technology” Timothy Ramsden, Reviews Gate
“Andrew Neil (gives a) nicely handled performance in the lead, frail and defiant as he’s called to account for the lethal legacy of his invention” Dominic Cavendish – The Telegraph
“An enjoyable foray into the life of the man who gave his name to one of the most famous Russian exports…As Kalashnikov lays out the parts of his gun, he lays out the parts of his life– eight of them, which the play follows to spell out the story of the man and his rifle… a neat device, which used along with the clever projection of film footage – a little boy being deported, technical drawings of his inventions, a visitor on the intercom – provided memorable moments of creativity. A warm, human performance – we could even smell the stew that had been cooked for Kalashnikov’s dinner” Ali Lantukh – The Public Reviews
“Andrew Neil…a dignified, compelling Kalashnikov…definite shades of Chekhov in this portrait of fading Soviet royalty unable to escape the past” Andrezej Lukowski – Time Out
“Fraser Grace is quick to confirm that Kalashnikov is ‘not a docudrama, more a creative investigation’. Racking up emotional cues and shooting out cutting one liners, the play unfolds in eight parts – some displayed via one of the three TV screens that form a backdrop and others more traditionally acted onstage….While the script is heavy with wit – enough to frost but not overshadow the seriousness – it’s Christopher Faulds set that makes the biggest impact. Downstage the design is traditional, with understated wooden furniture but upstage the multi media screens allow access to a different world. From the dark woods of a Russian fairy tale to the magical snowfall…to footage of weapons factories and tanks rolling in to war – the screens signal change. Volkov’s video camera adds a filmic quality that allows us further access to Kalashnikov’s emotions, as close ups of the interview are projected on to the back screen… An entertaining and thought-provoking production” Kate Halstead – The British Theatre Guide
“The audience response was excellent and the production was much enjoyed. This was an excellent play – brilliantly written. A top drawer acting company with a brilliant set and technical delivery. This was first class work” Brian Kirk – General Manager – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
” Definitely a high quality production which gave much food for thought, judging by the spontaneous post show discussions happening around me… a well-designed set and expert use of technology, all of which would have looked at home on stages much bigger than ours. I enjoyed the script, and the performances were strong… with the introduction of the filmic elements, the company has established itself as something very much out of the ordinary. I’m really looking forward to what comes next” Pam Hardiman – Theatre Programmer – Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury
Production Photos
All photos by Jerome Hunt